Which English Premier League managers are likely to get the sack soon?

With the sacking season well under way in the English Premier League, we take a look at which managers are at threat of losing their jobs.

Jose Mourinho – Chelsea

Even the special one can struggle. Roman Abramovich doesn’t tolerate failure well and despite Chelsea’s dominance last season, Mourinho is under increasing pressure. Languishing in 12th place and ten points behind leaders Manchester City, this season has been reminiscent of 2007 when Mourinho was last sacked by the Russian billionaire.

With outlandish comments about referees becoming a weekly ritual and inconsistent team selection, Mourinho is clearly feeling the pinch. With only one win the Champions League, the club isn’t the well-oiled machine they were last season.

Verdict: Safe – Although Abramovich has been happy to fire managers in the past, the relationship between the two men appears stronger than it did 2007. The lack of viable alternatives is another reason why Mourinho should be safe.

Steve McClaren – Newcastle

Although Newcastle enjoyed a memorable 6-2 win against Norwich City on the weekend, McClaren has found the transition to Tyneside difficult. With a tarnished reputation from his time in charge of the England national side, he managed to rebuild his reputation abroad, before returning to England with Derby County. After his sacking by the Championship at the end of last season, his appointment at St James Park was an underwhelming one.

Sitting in 18th on the ladder, the club is in a much poorer position than Newcastle fans would hope but Ashley’s running of the club needs to take some of the blame. A win against struggling rivals Sunderland will be a massive boost for McClaren’s popularity amongst the fans.

Verdict: Safe – Mike Ashley hasn’t sacked a manager since 2010 despite protests from fans. The fact that John Carver managed to keep the job till the end of last season reflects Ashley’s attitude towards the club.

Tim Sherwood – Aston Villa

Although only in his second job as a manager, Sherwood has already developed a reputation of giving young players an opportunity. In his previous spell at Tottenham, Sherwood gave now England striker Harry Kane a chance and he has flourished since.

With Aston Villa flirting with relegation once again, the fact they are 19th is more worrying this season. The loss of key players Benteke and Delph has hurt them and their replacements haven’t been of similar quality.

Youngster Jack Grealish holds the key for Villa’s survival and its Sherwood’s job to help him flourish.

Verdict: Under threat– With owner Randy Lerner looking to sell the club he needs Aston Villa to remain in the top flight if he is to receive a suitable offer. While Lerner will be hesitant to pay out Sherwood’s contract, if the club remains in the relegation zone at Christmas. Don’t be surprised to see Sherwood get the sack.

Garry Monk – Swansea

After taking over in 2014 after the sacking of Michael Laudrup, the former Swansea centre-back has been impressive. Last season saw the Welsh club finish 8th in a successful campaign. Despite a bright start to the season, Swansea hasn’t won a Premier League game since the end of August in what is a worrying run of form.

While goals have been hard to come by recently, the club has plenty of firepower with Ayew, Sigurdsson, Shelvey and the out of form Gomis.

Verdict: Safe – His history at Swansea as captain and the fact he managed to lead the club to 8th place last season should hold him in good stead.

Quique Sanchez Flores – Watford

The Pozzo family have shown a ruthless streak since taking over Watford. Despite a successful campaign last season which secured promotion to the Premier League, the club had four different managers. The man who clinched promotion Slavisa Jokanovic didn’t get a new contract due to wage demands which resulted in the hiring of Sanchez Flores.

The former Atletico Madrid boss has overseen a solid start to the season. With Watford sitting in 15th place, the club has a fantastic defensive record, only conceding 10 goals so far. However, they haven’t scored many either with Ighalo being the only goal scorer with 5 goals.

Verdict: Under threat – The Pozzo’s don’t tolerate failure, or success judging from last season. With Watford’s upcoming games against in-form sides, it is likely that Watford will struggle. If they fail in those four games, expect Sanchez Flores to get the sack.

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